WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON? A Federal Update

1 Valerie C. Williams 2020 The Power of Relationships Real world vs Washington DC Politics Policy Second Session 116th Congress

Convened - 2020 Senate Impeachment Trial – January 2020 COVID-19 Stay at Home Orders – 2020 Congress leaves for election campaigning- early Election - President, House and 1/3 Senate – , 2020 Lame Duck Session – After election Transition Recommendations and Transition Period – November to January November 2020 Elections

U.S. House of Representatives – All 435 seats U.S. Senate – 35 seats Countless state and local seats Federal election results, landscape, and ramifications Electoral College Breakdown What Happens in 2021?

• Inauguration on January 20th • New Cabinet and appointees if New Administration • Possible Cabinet changes if no change in Administration • 117th Congress Convenes - January 2021 • House and Senate Leadership determined • Committee Leadership and membership determined • Majority party in each chamber controls the agenda, serves as Chairpersons, has majority of members on committees/subcommittees • Any member can introduce a bill but leadership in each chamber determines what bills progress and are considered What’s on Congressional Plate for Next Six Weeks?

 Passage of a Continuing Resolution for FY21 by 11, 2020  COVID-19 relief bill  Emerging or new issues Very few Congressional days or motivation to act before new Congress COVID -19 Legislation

 Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, was signed into law on . The $8.3 billion emergency supplemental spending bill was passed to help government health officials with research and purchases of medications for treatments and vaccines.  Approximately $190 billion was included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, signed into law on March 18, contained provisions to provide free COVID-19 testing, increased federal funds to support state Medicaid costs, some increase in SNAP, expanded unemployment compensation, and paid leave and paid sick days for millions of workers  On , President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This $2.3 trillion bill included $30.75 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund.  Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, was signed into law on 24 as a $483 billion package . Referred to as 3.5 added $310 billion to the PPP small business loans, $75 billion for hospitals and other health care providers and $25 billion for expanded COVID-19 testing, including funds to cover tests for those without health insurance. Pre-Election Attempts at 5th COVID-19 Bill

• House passed the HEROES Act in ($3.3 T.) • Senate leadership introduced a smaller HEALS bill in late –$1 trillion - no vote • Senate brought a smaller bill to the floor in that did not get 60 votes - $500 billion ($15 billion child care and policy implications too) • “House Problem Solvers Caucus” has released a proposal - $1.5 trillion for 5-6 months • Senate “skinny” bill Major Disagreements for the 5th COVID 19 Bill – Close to $1 Trillion Apart

Education funds tied to open buildings and also vouchers/scholarships Amount of Education stimulus (IDEA specific funding is unlikely despite major advocacy efforts) - $105 B to $300 B Unemployment Insurance (individual checks) Amount of state/local stimulus funds - $100 B to $900 B  Liability shield protections for employers from lawsuits.  Amount of time period of extension of unemployment insurance provisions Amount of child care and Head Start stimulus funds Rental assistance Additional federal Medicaid match for longer time U.S. Department of Education

• COVID-19 • Policy • Equitable Services NASDSE COVID-19 Activities

Coalitions and partnerships NASDSE Briefs COVID-19 relief funding Ongoing concerns 2020 Funding for Education and State/Local Budget Relief That Could Support Education (Enacted & Pending) Billions of Dollars $915.0

$150.0 $72.9 $100.2 $105.2 $30.9 $0.0

US Dept. of Education 7/30/20 State & Local Relief 2020 Education Coronavirus Relief Less than 1/3 of Support in 2009 Recovery Act (Department of Education Discretionary Funding in Billions of Dollars)

$96.8

$72.3 $68.3 $68.1 $68.3 $70.9 $70.8 $64.1 $65.7 $67.3 $67.1 $66.9 $62…

$30.9

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Regular ED Funding Emergency Relief (2009 Recovery Act, 2020 CARES Act)

5/20/20 Authorization and Appropriations Processes

• Authorization – Legal authority to spend money

• Appropriations – Annual Congressional budget process that funds authorized programs and budgetary line items Mandatory Spending vs Discretionary Spending

• Mandatory – Funding automatically spent according to formulas; not subject to appropriations process - examples: Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security • Discretionary – Portion of budget where there are options; examples: national defense, food safety, education Education Accounts for Less Than 2% of All Federal Spending

2021 President's Budget Outlays by Category

Defense Discretionary

Non-Defense Discretionary - excluding education NDD - just education

Mandatory - Social Security 2% Other Mandatory

Mandatory - Net Interest

5¢ Makes Sense! #5Cents4Edfunding SOURCE: CEF based on FY2021 OMB Budget Education Gets Small Increase in FY 2021 House Bill: Still Billions Below 2011 Level in Inflation-Adjusted Terms (Department of Education Discretionary Funding in Billions of Dollars)

$70.9 $70.8 $72.3 $73.5 $68.3 $68.1 $65.7 $67.3 $67.1 $68.3 $66.9 $66.6

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 President House 2021 2021

ED funding 2011 Level in 2020 Constant Dollars

8/20 Federal Share Falling Further Below “Full Funding” Even as Dollars Increase, Compounding Cost Burden to State and Local Budgets

Source: CRS and ED funding history 1/30/20 GAO Reports

 Oct 2020 – Disaster Recovery: COVID-19 Pandemic Intensifies Disaster Recovery Challenges for K-12 Schools  2020 – Indian Education: Actions Needed to Ensure Students with Disabilities Receive Special Education Services  April 2020 – Education Needs to Address Significant Quality Issues with its Restraint and Seclusion Data  Mar 2020 – Information on How States Assess Alternative School Performance  Dec 2019 – IDEA Dispute Resolution Activity in Selected States Varied Based on School Districts’ Characteristics (variations by income and race)  July 2019 – School Districts’ Efforts to Address Lead Based Paint  June 2019 – Education Should Take Immediate Action to Address Inaccuracies in Federal Restraint & Seclusion Data – Tied to KASSA legislation  April 2019 – Special Education: Varied State Criteria May Contribute to Differences in Percentages of Children Served In Case you Were Wondering….Will We Reauthorize IDEA Soon?

Other education issues and hot topics… Reauthorization of: IDEA Higher Education Act (HEA) Privatization Significant Disproportionality Personnel Shortages Re-opening WIOA regulations Online learning Data Privacy School meals and other direct and tangential education matters And hot button topics….

COVID-19 Census Immigration Foreign relations Ongoing battles over: Health care - ACA Medicaid Nutrition Assistance – SNAP Disaster Relief Breaking News Thank you!